Automobile lights alarm



i 'ISN'H m. 7 j rz'zz/ a Jami/0 ATTORNEYS A CASTFEU AUTOMOBILE LIGHTS ALARM Filed April 22, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE su'rouonms mom's ALARM Arturo Castro, Los Angeles, Calif. Application Apr-i122, 1948, Serial No. 22,651

(Cl. m-su) 1 Claim.

1 The present invention relates to the general class of electric lamp signals, including head lights and tail lights for automotive vehicles, and

more specifically to improved automobile lights alarm of the aural or audible type, designed for use as a warning to the vehicle driver, before the driver leaves the vehicle, that the lights are still illumined, although the ignition may have been turned off, and thus notifying the driver that the light switch has not been turned off.

The electrically controlled signal or alarm in the nature of a hell, or similar annunciator, is connected with the ignition system and the lamp system or lighting system of the vehicle, and the signal is inoperative while the ignition circuit alone or the lighting circuit are initially and simultaneously closed for operation of the vehicle.

Means, electromagnetically controlled, are employed in connection with the lamp circuit for automatically closing the signal circuit and sounding the alarm, should the ignition be turned off, and through inadvertence the lamp circuit is left on.

The alarm system includes a minimum number of standard parts that may be assembled with facility and installed with convenience, to provide a. simple and reliable alarm that is inexpensive in first cost and eflicient in the performance of its functions; and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will herematter be described and more particularly set forth in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing, which is a diagrammatic arrangement of the wiring and appliances, the parts are combined and arranged in accord with a mode I have devised for the practical application of the invention to the headlight system of the automotive vehicle; but it will be understood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and structures, within the scope of my claims, without departing from the principles of the invention.

In order that the general arrangement and utility of parts may readily be understood I have designated as F a portion of the vehicle frame, and wires or conductors are grounded as at G.

A bell as B is mounted on a base plate designated switch 5 appliances as coil 8 and a dlstrlbuter l, and grounded as at G, and in the diagram both of the manually controlled switches 2 and 5 are opened or turned oil. When the automobile is running, as at night, both of the switches are of course closed, and the annunciator or warning signal is retained in inoperative position.

In connection with the two circuits I and 4 an electromagnet is employed for controlling the audible signal or bell B which magnet consists of a soft iron core 8 that is equipped with and common to two co-equal coils 8 and Ill, the former being grounded on plate P and connected by wire or conductor II to the ignition switch 5; and the latter coil I0 is connected by wire l2 to the lamp switch 2. These coils are wound in opposite directions in order that when energized by the closed ignition circuit and the closed lamp circuit they oppose and neutralize each other and thus do not attract the armature l3 to its core; and when the circuits are open, as indicated, the armature is free of the core and of the influence of the magnet.

The armature is of the resiliently vibratory type and it is equipped with a striker 0r clapper ll for intermittent co-action with the bell B as the armature vibrates or oscillates in close relation to the core and to the bell.

An intermittently opened and closed alarm switch for the armature includes a fixed contact I5 mounted on and insulated from the plate P and connected in series with the coil [0 by wire l5, and the movable contact member mounted upon a resilient or elastic blade I! attached to the armature, and the blade is grounded at G on the plate P through a resilient conductor-support l8 and its supporting base l9 mounted on the plate P and frame F.

Assuming the ignition switch 5 to be closed and the lamp switch 2 to be open, the ignition circuit is energized, the coil 9 of the electromagnet retains the armature in a fixed position, and closing or opening of the lamp switch 2 will have no effect upon the armature l3.

When the vehicle is stopped, the ignition switch is opened cutting out the coil 9 and releasing the armature which assumes the position shown in the diagram, and if the switch 2 is inadvertently left closed the alarm is activated.

Under these conditions the wire I2 is included in the lamp circuit and consequently the coil l 0 is energized, the armature is vibrated, and the striker co-acts with the bell to sound the warning signal that the lamp switch should also be opened.

lamp circuit, an audible signal having a vibratory armature responsive to either of said coils, a fixed contact connected to said lamp circuit coil and a contact mounted on said armature associated with said fixed contact, said contacts being biased to a closed position by a spring arm on 4 which said armature is mounted and said contacts opening only when one of the coils alone is energized, whereby when the switch in said ignition circuit in open and the switch in said lamp circuit is closed said audible signal will be actuated by said vibratory armature for the indication thereof.

ARTURO CASTRO.

REFERENCES crran The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,461,215 Hunt July 10, 1923 2,101,407 Morland Dec. 7, 1937 2,439,634 Robey Apr. 13, 1948 

